Despite promises of atomic power and limitless propulsion, the lead-acid battery under the hoods of most automobiles is not very futuristic. Cleverly named maintenance-free batteries are updated versions of the same basic lead-acid automotive battery design that first kicked over a production Cadillac in 1912. Even maintenance-free batteries require occasional wrenching. … [Read more...]
Tool of the Week: Battery Post and Terminal Brush
Welcome to the Tool of the Week crust removal Independence Day edition. The battery post and terminal cleaner brush is really two tools in one. The lower part of gizmo is full of stiff wires that clean up battery posts in short order with a few twists of the handle. An opposite twist of the handle reveals that inside the housing is a bristling porcupine of added utility! … [Read more...]
Danger Mower
Extended staycations, spare engines, and crazy ideas can result in potentially dangerous engineering. The old lawnmower chassis under this Suzuki engine was serving as a cheap dolly to facilitate moving the aluminum and steel lump from garage to swap meet. Standing six to eight hours at a swap meet is a long time, so on went the spare kart seat. A few more parts later, and the … [Read more...]
Last Originals
The sun pierced through the fog in Pacifica, California last weekend for the first time since 1953. Well, maybe 1977. Pacifica is in fact world famous for its fog, but some warm rays did shine through long enough to bathe the Last Originals 6th Annual Hot Rod & Custom Car Show in summer-like weather at the Pacifica Sea Bowl. The Last Originals have been around since 1994, … [Read more...]
Lakes Kadett
Some of the more interesting cars at any car show are often tucked away in the parking lot. This late sixties early seventies vintage Opel Kadett was spied by our man in the field Dave Wallace at the Kulture Shock car show in Lake County, California. The show was open only to traditional pre-64 hot rods and customs, which evidently relegated this Kadett to the spectator grass. … [Read more...]